


Hearts Don't Lie - prologue

by daenyara



Series: Hearts Don't Lie [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 1940s, Alternate Universe - 1940s, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Female Jewish Character, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Ending, Jewish Character, Jewish Identity, Pre-War, Pre-World War II Bucky Barnes, Pre-World War II Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2019-11-03 18:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17883296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daenyara/pseuds/daenyara
Summary: When y/n and her family have to leave Europe to escape the war, finding love in New York is the last thing she expects (and the last thing that interests her). Much to her annoyance, her parents set her up with the one person in all Brooklyn she cannot stand: the charming James Barnes, who’s decided to show her he’s not as bad as she thinks.





	1. Prologue

Bucky froze, his mouth slightly agape and the cigarette he was bringing to his lips stuck in mid-air. “Who’s that?”

 

Steve raised his head from his sketchbook and followed his friend’s gaze. A few feet from them, a young woman, one he had never seen before, was sitting on a bench with a Bucky’s sister, Rebecca. The sun shone through the branches of the large tree behind them, creating soft plays of light on her face. Her hair had probably been elegantly styled, but the wind must have messed it up because now it fell on her shoulders in loose waves. It gave her a certain fierceness, though. She was fidgeting with the hem of her silk scarf, throwing elusive glances around as Rebecca talked to her enthusiastically. 

 

“No idea,” shrugged Steve in response, but he was a bit curious despite himself.

 

The girl was smiling, rather distractedly to be fair, and despite her attempts to pay attention to the conversation, Steve recognized the familiar expression in her eyes. Uncomfortable, hesitant, wary. The expression of someone who didn't feel like they belong.

 

“She’s pretty,” commented Bucky. A dreamy smile hovered on his lips as his eyes ran down the floral prints of her dress. Steve rolled his eyes at Bucky, huffing in amused annoyance. 

 

“Jesus Christ, Buck, not again…”

 

“What?!” exclaimed Bucky with the most unconvincing confused face Steve had ever seen, just before a burst of laughter left his mouth and betrayed his awareness. 

 

“I know that look. You always do this, whenever there’s a girl involved your brain stops functioning!” 

 

Bucky blatantly ignored his friend's complaint, snorting. He was eyeing his sister, who had left the mysterious girl's side and was now walking towards them. 

 

“Hey, Becky?” he called, motioning for her to come closer. “Who’s that girl?”

 

If Rebecca was surprised by her brother's interest in the new arrival, she didn't let on. 

 

“Her name’s y/n. She and her family recently arrived from Paris. You know,  _ because of the war _ ,” added the young girl in a lower voice, as if she was describing something so horrible and inhuman that even mentioning it was difficult. 

 

Bucky realized he was gritting his teeth only when he felt a wave of pain going through his jaw. He never loved fighting, nor violence. But one thing he hated was people elevating themselves over others, thinking that for some reason they could decide whose lives were worth more. Soon he was gonna enlist, he knew that. Because despite hating this war,  Bucky Barnes thought there were things he had to fight for, and people he had to protect. Because sometimes the right thing to do isn't enjoyable, but you still had to do it. 

 

“Her dad’s a trader of some kind. They just bought the old shop down in Remsen Street,” continued Rebecca, unaware of Bucky's inner turmoil. 

 

Pulling himself together, he flashed a pleading smile at his sister. “Can you introduce her to us?”

 

After a moment, Rebecca nodded. They walked over to y/n, who observed them in silent curiosity as they approached.

 

“y/n, I’d like you to meet my brother, James⎼” started Rebecca, but Bucky cut her off.

 

“Please, call me Bucky,” he husked, flashing y/n a charming smile… His signature move. Steve had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. 

 

After kissing the hand she had offered him, Bucky frowned slightly. “y/n, huh?” 

 

She chuckled, before explaining. “I suppose it’s not a common name around here. I was named after my grandmother.”

 

“Well, it's a lovely name for an even more charming lady,” complimented Bucky. y/n lifted an eyebrow, and a skeptical flash sparked in her eyes. It lasted a split-second, then she smiled politely. 

 

As used as he was to being ignored when it came to girls, Steve cleared his throat, which made Bucky throw him an apologetic glance before introducing him. “This is my friend, Steve.” 

 

“Hi,” greeted y/n, at which Steve replied with a small nod. At least there wasn’t a trace of pity in her expression, which was more than he ever expected from women. y/n seemed different from the people he knew. She had kind eyes. Nevertheless, Steve sensed that Bucky would have to work on improving his moves if he wanted to have a decent chance with her. The thought almost made him snigger.

 

“So, you just move here?” asked Bucky, eager to prolong the conversation. Unfortunately, y/n didn’t seem to share his keenness as she folded her arms. 

 

“It would appear so.” 

 

Her abrupt answer didn’t discourage Bucky, who smirked. “You might need a guide. What do you say I show you around, one of these days?” he said in a smoky voice that would’ve melted anyone’s heart. “Must be a hell of a change, coming here from Europe”

 

y/n’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. She studied him for a moment, before flashing him an innocent smile. “Not as big as I thought, apparently. You’d be surprised.”

 

Bucky tilted his head to the side. “Oh, yeah? How so?” 

 

“People are more or less the same everywhere, doesn’t matter where we go,  _ Bucky, _ ” she explained, her voice honeyed and her lips curved into a cunning smile. “And thank you, for your very altruistic offer, but I think I can handle myself.”

 

“Are you sure, doll? I really wouldn’t mind giving you a tour,” chuckled Bucky, leaning forward and winking at her. He knew he shouldn’t have been amused by her hostility, but there was something incredible about that woman that he couldn’t explain. All he knew was that he was determined to find out.

 

She mirrored his posture, and he noticed her pupils dilating. “I’m positive, thanks.” y/n smiled at Steve, before throwing what was clearly a defiant glance at Bucky. “Gentlemen, if you please excuse me.” With that, she turned on her heels and marched away. Not before glaring at her brother, Rebecca ran after her.

 

“You know, Buck. I never would’ve believed this if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” commented Steve while a wide grin began to spread across his face. “The one woman in New York immune to James Barnes’ charm.”

 

Bucky snorted, his gaze still fixed into the distance. “This never happened to me, before.”

 

Steve stared at his friend. “I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess she doesn’t appreciate you flirting with her five seconds after meeting her for the first time.” 

 

“ _ Ya think _ ?” muttered Bucky, his voice soaked with sarcasm, at which Steve giggled and gave him a pat on the back.  

 

“Sorry, pal.”


	2. Casual Encounter

The air smelled like smoke and cheap coffee from the vendor at the corner, and y/n’s shoes clacked against the asphalt as she walked down the street.

She was slowly getting used to the strange orderly chaos of New York. It was nothing like Paris, but ‘ _different_ ’ didn’t necessarily mean ‘ _worse_ ’. It was as far as possible from the war, and that was more than enough. All things considered, she could’ve learnt to love her new life in the city, despite the fact that all the streets looked the same and people always seemed to be in a hurry.

A bunch of children who were playing hopscotch in the middle of the sidewalk cheered as she hopped in the squares with a laugh, tightening her grip on the bag she was carrying.

“Well, well, well⎼ if it isn’t Miss y/l/n. And she’s  _smiling_!”

Y/n felt her smile turning into a grimace as she raised her head to meet two bright blue eyes staring at her. She huffed. Of all the people she could run into, why did it have to be  _him_?

“Must be my lucky day,” she commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm, and Bucky burst into laughter.

They had met a few weeks before, and the usually popular Bucky Barnes hadn’t left much of an impression on her. Must have been the fact that he couldn’t help but flirt with her every time they talked, although all he could ever get from her was a symphony of dry sarcasm and hostile retorts.

“You don’t like me very much, do you?” he asked with a grin, walking at her side as he gently grabbed the bag full of groceries and took it away from her hands.

She glanced at his large hands, thinking about how softly they had just brushed against her own fingers. How could someone be so charming and yet so annoying at the same time?

Y/n slightly shook her head, mentally cursing at herself for not being as indifferent as she hoped. “What gives you that impression, James?”

“Bucky,” he immediately corrected her, and she raised an eyebrow.

“We don’t have that kind of relationship.”

“ _Ouch_ ,” said Bucky, holding his chest in feign offence. “You really do know how to hit straight through a man’s heart.”

“My mission in life,” mumbled y/n, making him laugh heartily.

They were almost at her house.

“Look,” sighed y/n, stopping dead in her tracks and forcing Bucky to do the same, “I’m flattered, okay? But this⎼” she gestured at herself and then at him⎼ “is not going to happen. So I suggest you spend your time following someone who doesn’t mind being bothered.” With that, she reclaimed her bag and threw him a glance, as if daring him to respond.

Chuckling, Bucky shook his head in both admiration and amusement. “Wow! Okay, first of all, I’m not  _following_  you. I’m just walking down the street, and coincidentally, so are you.” She hummed snarkily, but he ignored it. “And secondly, I just wanna be friends.”

At his statement, she looked straight into his eyes and scoffed in disbelief. “There are four million women in New York, I’d say you got plenty of ‘friends’ material!”

“Three and a half million, actually,” he corrected her, and she couldn’t help but frown, impressed despite herself. Bucky stared at her with a smirk, the usual bewitched glint igniting his eyes like every other time they talked. “And you’re different.”

This time, y/n snickered. “Oh, I see.  _I’m not like any other woman you’ve ever met_ ,” she mocked dramatically, before rolling her eyes and looking at Bucky as if he had disappointed her somehow. “Is that how you want to play this? I have to say, I was expecting something a bit more original.”

Caught off guard, Bucky hesitated for a second, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. Not bothering to wait for him to talk, y/n turned on her heels.

“Wait, that’s not what I meant!” exclaimed Bucky, trying to keep up with her and make his way through the crowd that seemed to have magically materialized. “You’re not like any other person I’ve ever met.”

He had practically shouted it. Several heads had turned to look at him, and y/n’s was one of them. She was giving him a focused expression which he couldn’t decipher, with her eyes squinted and her lips slightly parted.

“Why, because your seductive act doesn’t work on me?”

Maybe she was still teasing him, but her tone sounded genuinely curious. Bucky gave her a half-smile.

“Nah, doll… Because you don’t care what other people say. You’re not afraid to speak your mind. And I think you’re incredible.”

Her cheeks turned a warm shade of pink, one that could be seen in the sky when the sun is setting. Now more than ever, he thought she was lovely.

She seemed to meditate on his answer for a moment, but her expression was still unreadable. If she was pleased or offended with his compliment, Bucky couldn’t tell.

“I’ve been told that I should work on that,” she finally stated. The trace of a smile could be easily spotted on her face, and Bucky smirked proudly at the thought that he was the one causing it.

“Why ruin something so perfect?” he shrugged.

There were such sincerity and admiration in his expression, y/n started to wonder. Could it be possible that not everything she thought about James Barnes was true? Maybe the cocky smiles and the flirty demeanour was just a façade, maybe there was an actual decent man behind all that.

 _No_ , thought y/n. She couldn’t doubt herself at the first pretty face who smiled at her. He was good, she gave him that. The husky voice, the measured gestures… Not to mention the fact that he was handsome, almost disgustingly so, with those damn baby blue eyes and the perfect jawline.

“Goodbye, Mr. Barnes.” She nodded at him, right before turning away and disappearing into a bunch of pedestrians.

When Bucky’s gaze found her again, she was at the other side of the street, giving him a teasing smirk. From where he was, he snorted. “What, not even James, now, babe? I’ve lost the first name privilege?” he shouted, pouting at her.

“Yes!” She waved her hand without looking at him, but he knew she was grinning.

“I’ll see you soon, then,” he laughed loudly, shaking his head, “ _Y/n._ ”

He had pronounced her name softly, like he was singing a melody under his breath, as he stared in her direction. Bucky smiled, feeling how perfectly the syllables rolled on his tongue.

##  *********

“Mama, I’m home,” announced y/n as she closed the door behind her and hung up her coat at the entrance.

Yvonne, her mother, greeted her from the kitchen. “Did you get everything? Did you find the fish?” she asked apprehensively. The question made y/n chuckle and roll her eyes.

“Yes, ma’am.” Her mother hummed in contempt as she placed the bag on the counter. They always prepared Gefilte fish to eat on Shabbat, even though no one in the family particularly liked it.

Cooking together, sharing stories and laughing together, that was part of their own little tradition, and y/n wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world. Those were the moments where she felt closer to her mother, and she cherished every one of those memories.

They started skinning the whitefish that y/n had managed to find that morning. It was a bit overpriced, but at least it was fresh. Yvonne silently observed her daughter chopping the onions. Her own fingers worked expertly as she deboned the fish, and her lips were pursed in an attempt not to smile.

“Was that the Barnes’ boy who walked you home?” she asked after a while, trying to sound as nonchalant as she could.

Y/n’s head snapped towards her mother. “Mum, were you spying on me?!” Her eyes were wide for the indignation.

“I wouldn’t call it spying, dear, I just happened to be at the window when you two arrived,” exclaimed her mother with a small shrug, but y/n knew her way too well and groaned.

“ _Of course_  you were…”

Her mother interrupted her task, lifting an eyebrow. “Where’s your respect for the elders, young lady?”

“Are you really playing the age card with me?” y/n felt like laughing. She and her mother were so different, and yet sometimes it felt like their similarities were still a little too many.

“Motherly privilege,  _mon ange_ ,” smirked the older woman. She vaguely gestured at the window behind them. “He seems like a nice young man.  _Handsome_ , too.”

That he was. And that undeniable truth was starting to bother y/n, to the point that she was determinate to find and point out each and every detail that might make Bucky Barnes appear like nothing but a flawed, average man.

“He might be good-looking, but I’m pretty sure he’s a jerk.”

Whilst being used to her daughter’s harsh opinion of people in general, Yvonne scowled. “Why do you always have to be so critical, dear? His parents are very good people, I’m sure he’s anything but a jerk. And he seems rather fond of you.”

Deep inside, there was a small part of y/n that sparked with satisfaction at her mother remark. Was it vanity, wallowing in the certainty that Bucky Barnes liked her? Even if there was something more to it, she would’ve never admitted it.

“I believe he’s fond of a mere idea of me, mama. He doesn’t even know me,” mumbled y/n, and her mother frowned.

“Then give him a chance to know you. You might be surprised.”

Being a mother to someone as stubborn as y/n was an everyday challenge. Yvonne sighed, while y/n rolled her eyes. “Baby, you’re my one and only daughter and I want you to be happy.”

“Good, I am happy!”

Small pieces of vegetables flew into the air when y/n gesticulated a bit too enthusiastically as if trying to stress her words.

Yvonne pouted. “Why can’t you share that happiness with someone else?”

“So, just to be clear, you don’t want me to be  _happy_ , you want me to  _get married_ ,” articulated y/n, smiling sarcastically as she made her point. Her mother huffed, shaking her head.

“Would that be such a terrible thing? Marrying a good man, raising a family together⎼ These are natural things, y/n!”

Y/n snorted. “So are pneumonia and cholera, doesn’t mean we want  _those_.”

“ _Oy vey!_  What did I do to deserve such a cynical daughter?” complained her mother, dramatically raising her hands to the sky. She looked at her daughter, who was trying to suppress her giggles, and the corners of her mouth quirked up. “ _Mon ange_ , having you was the best moment of my life. When I first held you in my arms, my baby angel, everything else stopped mattering. You know I love your father, but if I had to choose between you and him, I’d shove him off a cliff,” added the woman jokingly, and y/n gasped in fake shock.

“ _Mama!_ ”

The two women’s laughter resonated through the kitchen, as they resumed cooking. Yvonne exhaled sharply, glancing at her daughter once again. “I know you modern girls don’t need a man to be happy, but I also know you. You’re my child. You  _do_  want a family, you’re just scared.”

Something in y/n’s expression hardened. “Can you blame me? Think about what happened to you and dad,” she murmured angrily, avoiding her mother’s gaze.

“I don’t blame you, dear.” Yvonne shook her head, and sadness clouded her elegant features. She had no place in her heart for anger nor hatred. She was raised to believe that one should always let go of such things, because they’re like poison to the heart. Besides, all the happiness that her life had brought her made up for any sorrow. But y/n wasn’t like her. Like most children, forgiveness wasn’t exactly in her nature, because she still couldn’t understand the value of it. That was what parents were for. “But you need to fight that fear, or you’ll never be truly happy.”

After staying silent for a long moment, y/n raised her head and flashed a grateful smile at her mother. “Thank you, mama.”

The two shared a tight hug, and whatever it was that filled the small room with heaviness, it vanished.

“Trust me, that Barnes boy? He’s one of the good ones,” added Yvonne with a smirk, and y/n rolled her eyes.

“I _sincerely_  doubt that.”

Did she really?

 

* * *

_***mon ange [French] = ‘my angel’** _

_***oy vey! [Yiddish] =  phrase expressing dismay or exasperation** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @ my Jewish readers: I did some research before starting the series, but I barely scratched the surface! I’m more than open to any advice you might have. <3


	3. At The Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yvonne decides to take matters into her own hands and sets her daughter up for a blind date with Bucky, right after y/n’s told him what she thinks about him.

“How do you like it, y/n?”

Dot’s gleeful voice interrupted y/n’s thoughts and she gave her friend a polite smile. “It’s… chaotic. And loud.” All around them, the smell of cotton candy and hotdogs drenched the air, and the loud music mixed with buzzing chatter and children laughing.

“Didn’t you have fairs in Paris?” giggled Dot, following y/n’s bewildered gaze as she studied the crowd.

“Not like this. Well, we had Luna Parks, and of course the Exposition Internationale. But they weren’t so alive, so  _vivid_ ,” she explained with a chuckle. “Do you know what I mean?”

“Not really. But then again, I rarely understand what you mean,” muttered Dot with a small frown.

Y/n sighed. That was always the problem, wasn’t it? No matter how much she tried, no matter where she was, she never seemed to be able to communicate with others the way she wanted. Her parents understood her, occasionally. But sometimes they didn’t recognize the young woman in front of them. Hell, at times even she didn’t recognize herself when she looked in the mirror. And it hadn’t anything to do with playing the part of the brooding, misunderstood girl. Y/n didn’t feel like she was special, and the fact that other people couldn’t get her, she didn’t blame on anyone but herself. But that didn’t prevent her from feeling lonely.

There were about two people in all Brooklyn who seemed to vaguely comprehend what went on in her mind. One she had vowed to loathe forever, and the other one⎼ was his _best friend_.

Almost as if he had materialized from her thoughts, y/n noticed Steve waving at her. She smiled in response. “Hey, Steve. How are you?”

“You know me. I’m always good,” shrugged the boy, while idly running his fingers through his dirty blond hair, ruffling it even more than it already was.

Y/n snorted and rolled her eyes. If she had learnt anything about Steve Rogers, was that he loved getting into trouble. “Where’s your sidekick?” she asked, looking around.

Steve pursed his lips, trying not to laugh, and gestured towards Bucky. “Right there.”

“Ugh,” groaned y/n observing Bucky as he tried to win one of those stuffed animals, probably to give it to the cute brunette at his side. “He thinks he’s so irresistible, doesn’t he?”

“Everyone does,” commented Dot dreamily, staring at him.

Steve huffed. “She’s not wrong.” He had to admit, sometimes the way all the girls looked at Bucky annoyed him.  

Y/n shook her head, glaring at Dot. “You’re drooling.”

“Shut up!” squealed her friend, but she couldn’t help but blush. “I’m gonna get us something to eat, okay?” Throwing another glance at where Bucky was, Dot headed towards one of the food carts, her hips swaying sinuously as she walked.

Steve and y/n furrowed their brows, both looking at the bag of chips in his hand that Dot had probably been too distracted to notice. Snickering, he offered her some, but before she could accept they were interrupted.

[Originally posted by marvelworlduniverse](https://tmblr.co/ZjxZzg2gmC-49)

“Steve. I see you found my future wife,” joked Bucky as he put his arms around their shoulders.

Y/n gave him a death glare, evading his grip. “ _Ah-ha_. The only wedding you’re gonna see if you don’t keep your hands to yourself is the one between my fist and your nose.”

Steve burst into laughter, while the grin on Bucky’s face became even wider. “You’re oddly aggressive tonight, Miss y/l/n. Even considering your general hostility.”

“And you’re even more annoying than usual. Does this make us even?”

This whole banter had become almost a ritual for the two of them, and everyone around them was so used to it by now that they simply ignored them. Steve, on the other hand, knew they could go on forever and wasn’t particularly keen on listening to them pretending to annoy each other, so he took it as his cue to leave and silently walked away.

“I know you love our little moments. Behind all this sarcasm there’s a  _Bucky Barnes fan_ ,” husked Bucky with a smirk, pointing his finger at y/n.

“Am I that transparent?!” she gasped in mock surprise, dramatically fanning herself as if she was about to faint. “ _I love you, I need you, please make me yours!_ ”

Bucky laughed at her sharp jab, but he wasn’t gonna give up so easily and she knew it. He flashed her a smile. “Come dance with me.”

“And rob that girl over there of her golden opportunity? I don’t think so. She looks like she’s much more of a fan than I am,” replied y/n motioning at the girl she had seen before, who was now talking to a friend while she waited for Bucky.

“Are you jealous, y/l/n?” teased Bucky.

Y/n scoffed. “You wish, Barnes.”

In all truth, his question felt way more pestering than she expected. Was it jealousy, the strange knot she felt in her stomach as she watched him make another girl laugh? It couldn’t be. Being jealous would’ve meant actually caring about what James Barnes did, and y/n was pretty sure that was never going to be the case.

“You are,” insisted Bucky, slightly squinting his eyes as he studied her expression, the amused smirk never leaving his lips. “I can assure you, there’s nothing going on between me and Connie. We’re just friends, she⎼”

“Right, of course,” cut him off y/n, sneering. “I always forget that I’m the only woman for you.”

“You got that right, doll.” She rolled her eyes at his statement, so he changed tactics. “Can you explain something to me?” he asked, staring at her intensely. When she nodded and gave him a small shrug, he smiled. “Without being sarcastic?”

Y/n nibbled her bottom lip. “I cannot guarantee  _that_.”

Bucky shook his head, both annoyed and entertained by her antics. “Why won’t you go out with me? I’m not talking about a romantic date. Just as friends.”

She paused for a moment before looking up at him. “Answer me this, first: do you really want to be just friends?”

The question floored Bucky, and his forehead creased before he answered. “I’d be okay with that,” he assured Bucky, but y/n sighed.

“That’s not what I asked.”

He seemed pensive for a moment, then he locked his eyes into hers. She could see the corners of his mouth quirking up as he spoke. “I like you. And I think we could work if you gave this a chance. If you gave  _me_ a chance.” When she looked away without saying a word, he smiled softly. “What are you so scared about? That you might actually like me?” He joked, in the attempt to cheer her up. Unfortunately, his plan backfired, because when she spoke her tone sounded more irritated than ever.

“Don’t be ridiculous, James.”

He automatically corrected her, like he always did whenever he heard people using his first name. “Bucky.”

“James,” she retorted in a forceful tone that brooked no argument. “I know guys like you. You walk around thinking you can obtain everything just by flashing smiles at everything that moves, and people let you get away with it simply because you’re attractive,” she hissed.

Bucky ‘s brows rose as he gave her a half-smile. “You think I’m attractive?”

“ _Remotely,_ ” she rushed to explain, while the pink flush that had crept up her face betrayed her emotions. “You’re average, at best.”

“Hey, we both know that’s not true!” he snickered, pouting at her in mock outrage.

But y/n wasn’t listening. “If you’re looking for another notch on your belt, you’re barking at the wrong tree,” she burst out in anger, unable to stop her eyes from glistening even though she was trying to get a hold of herself. She hated crying in front of other people, and she wouldn’t let herself give him the satisfaction of seeing her like that. Any kind of emotion other than annoyance was wasted on someone like Bucky Barnes.

Bucky was staring at her, with his lips parted in disbelief. “What⎼ _another notch on my belt?_ ” he repeated, his brows knitted as he studied her expression worriedly. “Y/n, what are you talking about?”

“Forget it. Goodbye,” she hissed, storming away and leaving him there, with his lips still parted and an unpleasant feeling in his chest.

##  *********

Entering the kitchen with a twirl, y/n left a peck on her father’s head. “What do you have there, papa?”

The man flashed her a bright smile before grumbling an answer with his mouth stuffed of food. “Lox and cream cheese. The best of the best!”

Before y/n could reply her mother joined them, a large grin plastered all over her face. “Hello, dear. How was your night? Did you sleep well?”

Y/n’s eyes narrowed. “I guess so… Mum, why are you smiling so much?”

“What? I can’t be happy?” scoffed Yvonne, hoping to sound innocent. Needless to say, y/n was unimpressed by the woman’s attitude, and she crossed her arms with a sigh.

“Why does mama have that face?” She glanced at her father, who was staring at his breakfast with a focused expression. “What are you two up to?”

Yvonne giggled, placing a hand on y/n’s shoulder. “Mon ange, there’s no need to be so dramatic. We have some  _wonderful_ news.”

“ _Which are?_ ” pressed y/n, fearing the worst. The last time her parents had ‘wonderful news’ it hadn’t exactly ended well for her.

There was a moment of silence, during which even Yvonne’s bright smile wavered. Despite how badly she wanted to share the news, she wasn’t too keen on seeing y/n in a bad mood. Her daughter was a force of nature, and it wasn’t always a good trait.

Eventually, Samuel ⎼ y/n’s father ⎼ gave in. “Your mother set you up on a date,” he announced, with the expression of someone who just wanted the worst to be over soon.

“ _WHAT_?!”

Y/n’s shriek startled the man, but Yvonne remained serene. “Calm down, dear. The Barnes visited us while you were out. They even brought us  _a casserole_ ,” she said in excitement, while her daughter’s face morphed into a horrified expression. “They’re really nice people, you know? And their son, oh, he’s simply a wonderful boy! And so gallant.”

“Please, don’t tell me you’re saying what I think you’re saying.” Y/n buried her face in her hands for a second, trying to take a deep breath. She felt like screaming. This was a bad nightmare. “Papa?” she pleaded, looking at him.

But Samuel energetically shook his head. “Oh, no. I’m staying out of this. I’ll just eat my breakfast in peace.” When she gave him a dirty look, he sighed. “You know your mother, sweetheart. I couldn’t help you even if I wasn’t terrified of her.”

“ _Samuel_ ,” growled Yvonne through her gritted teeth, but he ignored her and smiled tenderly at her daughter.

“It’s not the end of the world, dear.”

“Exactly. It’s just one date,” added Yvonne, smirking in satisfaction as she stared at her daughter. “You’ll thank me, later.”

Y/n hissed. “I’m pretty sure I won’t.”

“I’m hoping you’ll behave more nicely, Thursday. Young James said he’ll be here at 6 sharp.” With a smug expression on her face, Yvonne left the room, sure that her plan was going to work. Sometimes children simply needed a little push, and that’s what parents were for.


	4. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the night of y/n’s date with Bucky and she’s not exactly looking forward to it…

“You could tell him I’m not feeling well,” suggested y/n for what must have been the third or fourth time that morning, giving her mother a hopeful look while they folded the laundry.

“I’m not going to do that,” Yvonne shook her head vigorously, “You made a commitment.”

Y/n grimaced, noticing the trace of satisfaction on the woman’s face. “Except _I_  didn’t,  _you_ did,” she muttered. 

She knew all her parents wanted for her was to be happy, but she still couldn’t help the resentful tone which poisoned her words at the thought of what her mother had done. Suggesting Bucky deserved a chance was one thing, but  _setting her daughter up on a date_? That was a bit extreme even for someone as stubborn as Yvonne. Clearly, though, the woman did not share her daughter’s belief.

“Doesn’t matter now, you’re going,” said Yvonne in a tone of finality, putting her hands on her hips and staring at y/n with her eyebrow lifted.

“Ugh, you’re impossible!” Groaning, y/n threw a pair of socks in the pile of folded laundry, with such force that they bounced off and fell on the floor. 

“And you, my dear, are  _so_  dramatic,” mocked her mother with a sigh. “It’s just a date, I really don’t understand what’s all this fuss about.”

“It wasn’t your decision to make, mama!” Y/n’s eyes widened. “I’m not a prize you can promise to someone else, I decide who I’m gonna date.”

Yvonne suppressed a smile and spoke in a calm and soothing voice. “Mon ange, I don’t think of you as my property and I didn’t ‘promised’ you to anyone.” She caressed y/n’s hair. “I thought you needed a little push, that’s all. But if you’re right, and he’s not the man for you then you won’t have to see him anymore. No one’s forcing you to marry him, dear,” she giggled, rolling her eyes at the thought. “All I’m asking is for you to give him a chance.” 

 _To give life a chance_ , thought the woman. There was a war going on, and now more than ever it was clear that life is simply too unpredictable to let fear prevent one from being happy. And Yvonne worried about her daughter because the same fierceness that made y/n an incredibly strong-willed young woman was also why she never doubted her own judgment and shut everyone else out.

Unaware of what was going on in her mother’s mind, y/n looked away.  _‘Give Bucky a chance’_ , her mother had said. That was exactly what he wanted. The night of the fair he had asked her to trust him enough to give him a chance, right before she had stormed off. 

Y/n knew she was being a little unfair to him. Not that he didn’t deserve it in the least, of course, but she had said some pretty harsh things to him despite the fact that for the first time, he was being honest with her. And now there was an unfamiliar knot in her stomach that no matter what she did, it didn’t seem to go away. She had thought about apologizing to him, at first, but as soon as she found out that they were going on a date, all she wanted to do was avoid Bucky Barnes.

 _Such a cowardly thing to do_ , she mentally scolded herself. She spent so much time on her high horse, she couldn’t avoid apologizing when she had been so rude to someone, even when said someone was him. The date was a perfect occasion if she looked at it that way. Not to mention, if it hadn’t been for her own melt-down the night of the fair and the fact that he was there with another girl, she wouldn’t have found the idea of a night with Bucky totally repulsive in the first place. She quite enjoyed their banter, though that was a secret she was bringing to the grave, and maybe, if he stopped flirting with her, they could’ve been civil. But dating him? That was entirely out of question. He was still an idiot, after all.

Still unsure about what to do, y/n excused herself from her mother and left in a rush. 

##  *********

[Originally posted by forchrisevans](https://tmblr.co/Z-ZFQn2L9wu7-)

As soon as he opened the door, Steve’s curious expression morphed into a smile. One of those smiles that say,  _‘I’m happy to see you’_ but also  _‘what did I do to deserve this?’_ , probably because he thought he was gonna be yelled at.

“You know,” sighed y/n.

It wasn’t a question, but Steve nodded anyway, just before moving away from the doorstep to let her in. “Come on in.”

It took y/n five minutes to stop venting. After complaining to Steve about how her mother had made the decision for her and how badly the date with Bucky was going to be, she paused, taking a deep breath and realizing that maybe she had been a bit too vocal about how much she disliked Bucky. She gave Steve a sorry look. “I’m sorry, I know he’s your friend and all, but…  _ugh,_  how can you spend time with someone like him?”

Steve burst into laughter, whilst he poured some hot tea in a chipped cup. “I get you may not see it because he acts like a jerk whenever he’s around you, but he’s a great person.” When y/n made a face, he smiled. “I promise. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him, he saved my ass countless times. He’s like a brother, to me.”

Y/n stayed silent for a long moment, slowly tracing the rim of the cup with her fingertip. “You’re saying you agree with my mother?” she asked eventually, and Steve immediately shook his head.

“No, of course not!” he stuttered, alarmed, and y/n giggled. Steve wasn’t great when it came to tact and talking to a woman, but that only made him a great friend because she could count on him to be always honest, and even if he wasn’t, she could see right through him.

When y/n nodded encouragingly, Steve relaxed against his chair and went on. “I mean, obviously I think it should be your decision whether or not going on a date with Bucky. But since you have to go, now, I think you should keep an open mind.”

“Meaning?”

Steve shrugged. “Maybe give him a chance.”

“ _Why_  does  _everybody_  keep telling me to give him a chance?!” protested y/n, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like I haven’t, he just blew it in less than ten minutes!”

“I know, I know, it’s just⎼” Steve bit his lip, trying to find the right words. “He’s a good guy. I don’t know why he insists on looking like a moron around you, I’ve never seen him acting like that. I think it’s because he likes you.” Y/n snorted, skeptical, at which he grinned. “Oh, believe me,  _he does_.”

There was no way he was right about that, but y/n couldn’t help but think that what Steve was saying was fair. After all, he did know Bucky way better than she did.

“One date.”

Steve beamed at his friend. “Just one date, and if you still hate him afterwards then so be it. We’re gonna be friends anyway.” And he couldn’t be more right, of course.

Y/n smirked. “Tell him not to ruin it. It’s his last chance”

##  *********

[Originally posted by aavengingbucky](https://tmblr.co/Z3Weme2VHsjf4)

“Y/n, the door! Quick,” screamed Yvonne as soon as they heard a soft knock.

After giving one last look at her reflection in the mirror, y/n rushed to open the door.

“Hi,” smiled Bucky when he saw her. She was so breathtaking in her stone blue dress, he found himself struggling to find the words for a moment. “I didn’t know what kind of flowers you liked,” he said eventually, handing her a small but lovely bunch of fresh flowers.

She studied them for a second then gave him a hesitant smile. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.” He nodded, looking away from her as he threw shifting glances around, gazing at the family pictures hanging on the wall and the decorated mantelpiece placed on the table.

Before he could say anything, Yvonne joined them. “That is such a nice gesture! Give them here, mon ange, I’ll put them in a vase,” she chirped, grabbing the flowers and flashing a bright smile at Bucky. “Good evening, James.”

He smiled back, bowing his head slightly. “Good evening, ma'am. Mr. y/l/n,” he added when he saw Samuel. “I’ll take good care of your daughter.”

Seeing the expression on her mother’s face and fearing the worst, y/n pushed Bucky through the door and waved at her parents. “We’re leaving, bye!” she announced, shutting the door behind her just when Yvonne was about to speak.

In the rush to escape her mother and any embarrassing comment, y/n had thought about what she was going to say to Bucky once they’d be alone. And now that they were, a wave of nervousness washed over her.

Bucky chuckled, seeing her biting her lip. “You look beautiful.”

Her brows lightly furrowed. “Thanks.”

Was he going to pretend their last encounter never happened? Part of her hoped so, but she knew sooner or later they were going to talk about it. Plus, she wasn’t even sure he was actually looking the other way, because there was something different about him. The way he had just complimented her, it had been so straightforward and simple… it felt different from his usual charming smirks and seductive one-liners. She shook her head, trying not to think about it.

They made small talk until they reached a quiet diner that Bucky had described as  _‘the best in NYC’_. He held the door open for her and moved the seat for her, and she thought that even though it wasn’t going to work, he certainly was good.

“You seem suspicious,” commented Bucky with a half smile, studying y/n from behind the menu. “I swear, I’ll behave. Steve really dropped the hammer on me, he made me swore not to be a jerk, tonight.” He rolled his eyes, but he seemed amused. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my best.”

She kept staring at her menu but then huffed. “And I’ll try to be less⎼  _condescending_ , I suppose.”

“Now, that’s unexpected!” he joked, but as he saw her glaring at him he slapped himself. “Sorry, I’ll be better,” he assured quickly, and she snorted.

“Just to be clear, this is not a real date,” she blurted, making him cock an eyebrow. Y/n continued. “My mum set us up, and I’m only here to give you a chance not to be a jerk. I still don’t wanna be anything more than friends, so don’t get any strange idea.”

“Hey,” Bucky raised his hands, “this is a friendly date, I promise. I’m only here not to be a jerk,” he assured with a wink, and y/n nodded, before focusing back on the menu.

Dinner was unbelievably pleasant. Bucky had even worried that the menu included something kosher for her, despite the fact that she had assured him it wasn’t a big deal since she wasn’t actually orthodox. But it had been a nice gesture which she certainly wasn’t expecting from him. They still taunted each other, of course, but when he wasn’t too busy flirting with her he was a fantastic listener. And he was funny, he made her laugh more than once as he told her about his misadventures with Steve.

After they were done eating Bucky grabbed their coats and guided her outside.

“Where are we going?” she asked in both curiosity and confusion, but he smirked and refused to answer. She was about to find out anyway.

Y/n held her breath, gaping at the moon’s reflection in the water. Bucky had guided her across the park until they had found the small pond in front of her. It was peppered with water lilies, and a wooden bridge allowed to cross it.

They stopped in the middle of the bridge and for a long moment, they simply stood there in a comfortable in silence, embraced by the warm light of the lamppost hovering over their heads.

Y/n’s lips were slightly parted and her eyes were fixed on the water, while Bucky’s were fixed on her. “What’s going on inside that beautiful brain of yours, Miss y/l/n?”

She raised her head to glance at him but quickly looked away as soon as she saw him grinning. “I was just thinking,” she started hesitantly, “that this  _may_  not be the worst date I’ve ever been to.”

“Wow.” Bucky snickered and gazed at y/n, impressed. “Was that a compliment?  _Who are you?_ ”

Groaning at his teasing, she finally looked at him in the eye. “Can’t you just take it, Barnes? I’m  _trying_.”

He chuckled and thanked her. After a moment, he spoke. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Bucky bit the inside of his cheek, nervous. “At the fair, the other night ⎼ I know what that seemed like, but I promise, there’s nothing between me and Connie.”

In the dim light, y/n’s face darkened when she blushed. “I’m not jealous,” she immediately stated, her voice a little louder than she intended. “You can do whatever you want, with whoever you want. I couldn’t care less.”

“I know you don’t care, doll,” replied Bucky, and his broad frame was shaking with laughter. “But I told you I like you while I was there with another girl and even though she’s just a friend I get how that may have appeared to you. You had every right to get angry.”

“I didn’t ⎼” she started to protest. That wasn’t why she was angry, she wanted to explain, but she cut herself off. He was saying sorry, which took some guts. She knew it way too well. “I understand. And I’m sorry, too.”

“What are you sorry for?!” he chuckled, squinting.

“What I said to you the other night… that wasn’t  _totally_  fair,” she sighed, but Bucky shrugged.

“Don’t mention it. I was the one acting like a dick, it’s alright.”

“No, it’s not,” she hissed through her teeth.  _Why did he have to make it so difficult?_  Y/n took a deep breath and stared at Bucky. “The fact that you messed up doesn’t mean I’m entitled to be rude. I made a mistake and I’m apologizing for it, so shut up and listen, Barnes.”

“Okay. I appreciate it,” he said, flashing her a wide smile. He studied her expression for a moment before adding, “We should go on another date. You know, to get your parents to lay off of you,” he explained nonchalantly.

Before she could stop herself, y/n scoffed loudly. “They knew this was a one-time thing.” She was staring at him wide-eyed, trying to understand whether he was serious or not. Needless to say, Bucky was deadly serious.

“And they’re not gonna say anything if you end it after just one date?” he questioned, giving her an innocent expression that wouldn’t have fooled anyone. When she gave him a dirty look, he bit back a smile. “Look, it’s your decision. I’m not gonna charm your mother to get another date with you. This time  _I had to_ , ‘cause you were  _adamant_  about hating me⎼” y/n rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched, “⎼but we’re past that, now that you actually like me.” Bucky looked smug as he pronounced those last words, and she snorted.

“Woah, not so fast. Jury’s still out.” She stuck her tongue out, which only made him throw his head back and snicker.

His gaze found hers, and for a brief moment ⎼ so brief that she didn’t even realize it happened ⎼ she felt like she was drowning in the azure of his eyes.

“So, what do you say?” Bucky’s question shook y/n from her haze, and when she looked at him in confusion he smiled and explained. “Fake date? Just as friends, I won’t try anything. And after a while, you can tell your mom it didn’t work out.”

Y/n’s lips pressed together as she silently weighed the implications of his proposal. He wasn’t wrong about her parents; her mother was never going to leave her in peace if she ‘dumped’ Bucky after just one date. Maybe letting Yvonne think she had at least given him a shot was the perfect strategy. And she had to admit, Bucky’s company was perfectly bearable. Nevertheless, she couldn’t ignore that he was⎼ well,  _Bucky_.

“I’ll think about it.”

[Originally posted by buckysbussy](https://tmblr.co/ZJmpFr2NuH5MZ)


	5. History

Steve threw y/n a quick glance, just before focusing again on his sketchbook. His pencil elegantly danced on the paper, tracing the outlines of the little sparrow that was pecking some crumbs near your feet. “So, how’s it going with Bucky? I saw you took my advice even way too well.”

The enraptured expression vanished from her face and your forehead creased. “What’s  _that_  supposed to mean?”

“Nothing!” quickly assured Steve, shaking his head. His smile had ‘nervous’ written all over. “Buck told me you’re going on another date, so I thought…”

“ _Fake_ date,” she immediately corrected him, with a forceful tone that brooked no argument. “That’s the right term for it. And after this one, I’ll tell my parents that he and I are better off as friends.” Y/n smirked in satisfaction, but she noticed Steve glancing at her again and she huffed. “ _What,_  Steve?”

He hesitated, his lips pressed together, then he placed down his pencil and stared at his friend. “Well, you’re not fooling me.”

“Excuse-moi?!” y/n’s voice came out slightly high-pitched, a bit too much for her taste.

Steve cocked an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Come on, you heard me. If you weren’t enjoying going on dates with Bucky, you’d be complaining non-stop. Instead, you agreed on a second date, and  _then_  to a third one.” She blushed, looking away. That third date plan had been a slip on her part, but saying no to Bucky was pretty much impossible when he kept flashing bright smiles at her. Steve went on. “My gut tells me there’s gonna be a fourth date.”

“Your gut is an idiot, and so are you if you really think there’s something going on between me and that jerk,” she snarked, but he laughed.

“I’m just saying, you like him a bit. There’s nothing wrong with it, y/n, I get it.” He truly did. He had known Bucky for too long to ignore the fact that his best friend was a catch.

Y/n couldn’t believe it. She scoffed, getting up and putting a hand on his shoulder. “Steve, don’t get this the wrong way, but you should  _really_  stick to art. Romantic advice really isn’t your strong suit.” With that, she said goodbye and left.

As he observed her walking away, Steve mumbled, “Can’t argue with that…”

“Can’t argue with what?” asked a familiar voice.

Steve turned around to greet Bucky. “Oh, hey.”

“Hey, pal. What were you and y/l/n talking about?” There wasn’t jealousy in Bucky’s voice, he was simply curious.

“A bit of everything,” shrugged Steve, trying not to sound suspicious. “Art, mostly.”

Bucky frowned. “She likes art?”

“Yeah, she loves it. That’s why we bonded in the first place.”

This time Bucky felt it.  _Jealousy_. Not because Steve was spending time with y/n, but because after two dates her interest in art had never come up. Perhaps he hadn’t been receptive enough towards her interests. Or maybe, she simply didn’t want to share that part of herself with him, which made him feel even worse.

In any case, thought Bucky, if it was something he could fix, he was definitely going to try his best to make it right. He just needed to find the perfect way to do so.

A sudden thought crossed his mind and he looked at Steve with a half smile.

“I have an idea. But I need your help.”

  


[Originally posted by asheathes](http://tmblr.co/ZMJ2zx2PM9LhN)

 

 

* * *

 

“Honey, I’ve been thinking,” began Yvonne as they were having dinner, “I think you should invite the Barnes for dinner.”

Y/n froze, the spoon full of soup stuck mid-air in front of her open mouth. “What?”

“It would be good for us get to know each other, now that you and James are getting serious.”

Luckily, Samuel father put a hand on his wife’s arm and joined the conversation before y/n could lose her temper. “Dear, they’ve only been on two dates, together. It’s a bit too early to call it a serious relationship, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” replied Yvonne in a curt way, vaguely gesticulating, “But nonetheless, it would be nice to have guests once in a while. What do you think, mon ange?”

Y/n’s face scrunched up. “Do I  _have_   _to_?” When she realized that her mother wasn’t going to capitulate, she sighed. “Fine. I’ll invite them.”

*****

The evening after, the Barnes’ arrived at 6.30p, like clockwork. They were wearing their best dresses, they had brought flowers, and they were delightful guests for the whole night.

Bucky had not only managed to charm Yvonne but apparently, he and Samuel got along very well, too. Y/n rolled her eyes as he told some dumb jokes that everyone seemed to find hilarious, but she smiled when he winked at her.

It was a pleasant night, and despite everything, she was happy to have agreed to this. Of course, she was still unsure about Bucky’s main objective, but she was starting to trust him. And she liked their friendship (if that was the name of what they had).

Messing with their parents while pretending to be on romantic terms was kind of funny, and if that’s what she had to do to get her mother to lay off then she was more than happy to bat her lashes and give him heart eyes while snorting in amusement when everybody else wasn’t looking.

She was going to shut up about it, but y/n found it quite easy to pretend to be in love with Bucky Barnes. Which was funny, considering that she had started off basically hating him.

Right before the dessert, Bucky leaned in. “Wanna get some air?” he whispered in y/n’s ear. She looked at him as if he was mental.

“It’s  _freezing_ , outside.”

“Then you could show me the house,” he chuckled.

Y/n huffed, but she got up and led the way as soon as they had excused themselves.

“Wow. Is this your mom?” asked Bucky, breaking the silence. He was holding an old picture, one of y/n’s favourites.

“Yeah.”

  


 

Bucky glanced at her. “I really like her. There’s something warm about her, but I would never want to get on her bad side,” he laughed.

“Wise boy,” nodded y/n, grinning. She went to sit on the edge of her bed and motioned for him to do the same. “She’s been through a lot, and she overcame all that life threw at her. She’s the strongest, kindest, and most stubborn person I know.”

“You were lucky. Your parents are both amazing people,” complimented Bucky, placing his hand on her knee. It was a very boyfriend thing to do, thought y/n. She felt confused, just for a second, but she didn’t have to worry, right? They were just pretending, after all.

She smiled politely. “Yours too.”

Bucky looked away, pursing his lips. “They are, very good people. But they don’t really get me.”

Y/n snorted at that. “I don’t think parents are supposed to get their children. But they love you, that’s the important thing. Not everyone is so lucky.”

“I feel like there’s a story, here,” said Bucky, looking at her expectantly. But when she crossed her arms in front of her chest, reluctant, he backed off. “You don’t have to tell me if you⎼”

“It’s fine,” sighed y/n.

She was playing with the hem of her dress, and for a moment Bucky thought she wasn’t going to say anything. Then she spoke, and the words started flowing out of her soft lips as if they had a life of their own.

“My mother comes from a very strict family. Very religious, as well. She was raised as orthodox, she celebrated Shabbat every week, she ate nothing that wasn’t kosher… it wasn’t a bother, it was important to her and she had great faith. She still has,” added y/n with a small smile, and Bucky mirrored it to encourage her.

“When she was about 17, her parents introduced her to this boy and they started dating. He was charming, good-looking, and he came from a very religious family, too. The perfect match.” Y/n scoffed, disgusted, and something in Bucky’s gut told him that maybe he didn’t want to hear this story. But he said nothing, and she went on.

“They went out for a short while, then my mother left him and after a while, she met my father. He was kind, hardworking, he made her laugh. And he loved her so much, just as she loved him. Still now, they’re the happiest couple I know.” Y/n remembered being a little girl and hoping to find a love like the one her parents had. Growing up she had become more and more sceptical, and now she wasn’t even sure she believed in love. Maybe that was why she didn’t know what to call whatever she felt when she was with Bucky.

“One night,” y/n voice rang in Bucky’s ears as he listened to her story, “while he was walking her home after a date, the perfect boy she used to date showed up, drunk. He wanted her back, he said. He kept saying that she was better off with him, that her family thought the same thing… That night he broke my father’s nose, and passed out in an alley, after trying to assault my mother.”

Bucky felt the air disappear from his lungs and hissed. He wanted to say something that mattered, but it felt like there were no words left in his brain. “That’s horrible,” he mumbled, and his hand ran to grab y/n’s before he stopped himself. None of them moved, the back of their hands touching one another.

“Want to know the best part?” growled y/n in a low voice.  _No, he didn’t want to_. Yet he waited. “The next day, when my mother told her parents what had just happened, they replied that she should’ve given that poor excuse for a man  _another chance_. See, they never thought my father was enough. He wasn’t wealthy enough, he wasn’t Jewish enough…” y/n shook her head, trying to push those bad memories away from her mind. They weren’t even their memories, to begin with, but she had carried them for years like a burden. “Dad has faith, deep down, I’m sure he does. But he doesn’t like rules, nor ceremonies, which makes it a bit difficult to be religious. And that’s all they saw.”

“So you were talking about your grandparents, before.” Bucky slowly nodded, as he put all the pieces together. “They disowned your mom, didn’t they?”

“Probably.” Y/n shrugged and let out a tired chuckle. “Mom and dad ran away together before they could do anything.” Y/n met Bucky’s eyes, smiling. “Mama told me that the day they left, he asked her if she was sure she wanted to spend her life with a man without faith. He wasn’t going to change his beliefs, but he didn’t want her to reject hers.”

Bucky let out an admiring chuckle. “He was ready to let her free.” Giving up love  _for_  love was the bravest thing anyone could do.

Y/n bit back a smirk. “But my mother smiled and replied that she wasn’t ‘ _rejecting_ something’. She was  _choosing_  someone.”

“What about you? Do you have faith?” he asked, curious.

“Sometimes,” giggled y/n. She glanced at Bucky before adding, “The scum who beat up my dad… When my mother first described him to me, it was like she was handing me a picture and telling me to avoid people like him.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip, looking down at her feet. Bucky’s jaw clenched as he realized what she was going to say.

“Let me guess, I reminded you of him.” He tried to sound nonchalant, almost as if he found her confession funny. “That’s why you didn’t trust me from the start.”

Y/n sighed, seeing the trace of hurt in his eyes. “The way you acted around me, and the way you seemed to have idealized me? I thought you were a bad person.” 

  


[Originally posted by baby-vintage](http://tmblr.co/ZyOOdf2hJHqDK)

 

Bucky wasn’t looking at her, so she did the first thing she could think of and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. He turned to face her, surprised, and she stared back at him with wide, gleaming eyes. “But I don’t think that anymore. I _know_  you, now.”

She had just murmured it, but Bucky felt that sentence resonating through his whole body. It was unclear who acted first, but a second later their lips were sealed together in a needy kiss. Bucky buried his fingers in her hair, wanting to pull her even closer, and her hands grabbed his wrists.

It lasted a moment, it was too brief. Then y/n pulled away with a swift, sudden movement. Bucky felt like a soldier who had lost a limb. He could still feel her lips ghosting over his mouth, even though she had jumped on her feet and was stumbling away from him.

“Uhm, sorry, I⎼” she started to mutter, distracted by the burning heat of her own cheeks.

He didn’t want her to be embarrassed. “It was me, I shouldn’t have. You were being honest with me and I ruined it.” Bucky chuckled, rather nervously, and nodded towards the door. “I should go.”

“Yes, uh, it was getting late, anyway.” Y/n cleared her throat, moving a rebel strand of hair behind her ear before throwing a swift glance at him.

Bucky plastered a tight smile on his face. “We’re good, though, right?”

“Sure, we’re good! Why wouldn’t we?”

_Very convincing,_  she mocked herself in her mind. Why did everything always have to be _so hard_ , with him?

“And we’re still on for this Friday, aren’t we?” Bucky was trying not to sound too pathetic, but now that he had almost ruined that bit of trust she was starting to give him he was terrified that she was going to cancel. He observed y/n as she bit her lip, in thought. “I’ve already planned the whole day. Please? One last date before we go back as almost friends,” he pleaded, even though the words tasted foreign and bitter on his tongue.

Finally, y/n flashed him a smile. “I’ll see you on Friday, then.”

Bucky beamed. “Goodnight, y/l/n.”

  


[Originally posted by steverogersnotebook](http://tmblr.co/Z1An3k2LxS7jL)

 

When the door of her room closed behind him, y/n let herself collapse on the bed, letting out a long sigh.

“Goodnight…  _Bucky._ ”

Her heart beat fast against her ribs, caged. She was in huge trouble. Like every other person who first discovered love.


	6. Last First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They’re probably in love with each other.

“Stupid,” muttered y/n to herself. “Stupid, stupid,  _stupid_!”

She kept marching back and forth across her bedroom, mentally trying to come up with the perfect speech, as she had been trying to do for the past days. 

The words played in her mind over and over again, as frantic and confused as her steps. After a while, she couldn’t even find the meaning of it all, but she still wasn’t able to stop, dreading the moment when Bucky would knock at her door. How was she going to look at him in the eyes and let him down? 

“Knock knock.”

The intrusion startled y/n, who turned towards the door to see Samuel standing there with a meek smile. “Oh, hey dad.”

“You look beautiful, dear,” he complimented, gesturing at her. 

She had tried at least 10 different looks, before settling for a long sage skirt and her favourite blouse, ivory white with lace details, while a pile of rejected clothes threatened to fall from her bed.

“Thanks.”

Y/n cracked a smile, quickly glancing away from him. Her dad always seemed to sense when something was wrong, and she didn’t need to have any kind of conversation right now,  _especially_  about her feelings. There was already enough confusion in her mind. 

“But you don’t look very happy.” It wasn’t a question. “Something on your mind?” asked Samuel in a casual tone, and she vaguely waved her hand to dismiss his concern.

“Nothing, I’m just nervous about tonight.”

The worry was written all over her face, as she let herself fall back on the bed. Samuel sat beside her, pursing his lips to hide a smile.

“You don’t need to be, honey. It’s clear the boy is smitten,” he assured, but when she let out a nervous giggle he squinted his eyes in suspicion. “Unless,” he insisted, staring into her eyes, “that’s not why you’re worried about.”

“What?” His daughter scoffed, and once again he was glad she was such a bad liar. It made it so much easier for him to help her. 

“I’m not your mother, you’re not fooling me,” snorted Samuel, putting an arm around her shoulders. “Is this because you were pretending to be a couple?”

Of course, he knew. He understood her daughter better than anyone when it came to this sort of things. She would’ve never have been so eager to please her mother and spend her time with someone she didn’t like.

It took a few seconds for his words to reach her, then surprised washed over her face. “How did you know?” she hissed, just before energetically shaking her head. “You know what, it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m ending it tonight, so it’s no use talking about it.”

“Why would you want it to be over? It’s clear you like him.” He could see her jaw clenching, which made him sigh. “Look, I know you very well. You’re my only daughter, my baby girl, and I love you very much. That’s why I want to see you happy.”

“I  _am_  happy,” she reassured, a bit too enthusiastically to be genuine.

Samuel searched for her eyes, hoping that she would listen. “You’re happier when you’re with him, though.”

There was a long silence, as she stared back at him. At first, she wanted to laugh and mock him for even suggesting she might have feelings for James Barnes. But this was her father, she knew she couldn’t lie. The weight of it all fell on her at once, and she dropped her facade. 

“I’m scared.”

She had spoken in a soft whisper. She looked so fragile, right now, and it broke Samuel’s heart a bit. His daughter had such strength in her. Whenever she felt afraid, she always found a way to work through it. He knew that because that’s how they had raised her. Yet now, the person looking at him wasn’t the same courageous, young woman. 

“And why is that,  _mon coeur?_ ”

He followed her eyes as she stared at the window and exhaled sharply. “I just wanted to give him a chance. I’m not great at making friends, you know that. And I felt bad about misjudging him when we first met, so I thought that this would be a good idea to actually get to know him while simultaneously discouraging mum from finding me more suitors,” she chuckled to herself, despite the tears that were starting to pool in her eyes. “Only my plan did not work, and now everything is messy and confusing, because…”

When she hesitated, a sudden realization struck Samuel. “Because you fell in love,” he completed for her, astounded. Y/n silently nodded and rested her head on his shoulder looking for some comfort. 

As he hugged her tightly, she could hear his low chuckle and rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to tell me that no man is ever going to be good enough for your little girl?”

“No one really is.  _Except me_ , of course,” he joked. He moved just enough to look into her eyes. “But I trust your judgement. And if you love him, that means he must be one of the good ones.”

“He is, isn’t he?” murmured y/n, and she already knew the answer to that.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Y/n bit her lip, in thought. “I’m not sure, yet.”

“We both know that’s a lie,” replied Samuel, cocking an eyebrow. 

“Thank you, papa.”

With a smile, she stood up. She was still unsure, but she knew that for better or worse, she had to be honest with Bucky. 

Right before leaving her room, Samuel paused, his hand still on the door handle. “Tell James to keep his hands to himself or I’ll break them,” he stated, making her burst into heartfelt laughter.

##  *********

[Originally posted by la-joie](https://tmblr.co/ZQh__w2LLiAnD)

“Ready?”

Bucky was beaming. Not only that, but he looked even more handsome than usual in his slate grey suit. There was a bit of blue in it, which made Bucky’s eyes pop. Or maybe it was just the way they gleamed as he looked at her.

Taking a deep breath, y/n smiled. “Sure! Let me grab my coat.”

She didn’t know where they were going, he had been oddly secretive about their plans for the night. All he had told her was that he had prepared a surprise for her and that he thought she was going to appreciate it. Funnily enough, expecting a surprise only contributed to making her nervous.

Bucky gave her a side glance as they walked. There was something stiff in her movements as if she was trying to measure her steps, and she had this focused expression on her face, the one she always had when she was thinking. 

“You okay, doll? You seem tense.”

Y/n shrugged and put on a smile, trying to look as natural and reassuring as she could. She had yet to find the right words to talk to him, so she had to stall until the end of the night. They made small talk for a while, keeping the conversation light and cheerful (which felt strange, given their history. Being at each other’s throats would’ve felt more natural than discussing their favourite movies). Out of the blue, Bucky stopped dead in his tracks, while a wide grin made its way on his face. Frowning, y/n looked around, trying to find out where were they and why he had stopped. Her gaze fell on the nearest door and her eyes widened when she read the sign. 

“Wait,” said y/n in confusion, “are we going in  _here_?” 

Of all the things Bucky Barnes was, she had never expected him to be an art lover. And yet here they were, standing at the entrance of one of her favourite galleries.

“A little bird told me you like art,” he confessed with a wink.

“I do.” She nodded in an attempt to confirm her own words, just before pursing her lips and gazing at Bucky in amusement. “I appreciate the effort, James, and I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but the sign says it’s closed,” she said, pointing at the sign on the door.

He flashed her a sly smile. “Not for us.” He was holding something tiny and y/n had to squint to distinguish a shiny key in the dim light of the lampposts. “I took the liberty to arrange this.”

Without adding anything else he opened the door, his eyes never leaving y/n. The door opened with a loud click. Bucky took y/n by the hand dragged her inside.

As it turned out, Steve had a friend who worked there and managed to obtain the perfect set for their date. Truth to be told, Bucky had to spend most of his savings in order to make it happen, though he was never going to mention that to y/n.

The art gallery was small, with no famous painting nor masterpiece. It was mostly local stuff. Paintings, photographs, sculptures. None of the artists had recognizable names, and Bucky never truly understood Steve’s fascination with the place. And he certainly couldn’t explain why there was such an enraptured expression on y/n’s face as she looked around, with her skirt fluttering beautifully as she twirled.

“This is…” she tried to say, but finding the right words wasn’t easy. Eventually, she gave up and simply squeezed Bucky’s arm as a bright smile graced her lips.“ _Thank you._ ”

The corners of his mouth quirked up. He looked pleased with himself, almost smug, but most of all he was happy she liked it. “I must tell you, I know nothing about art. I usually ignore Steve when he talks about it, which I now regret,” he shook his head theatrically, and she snorted. “You might have to educate me.”

“Well, someone has to.” They laughed, their voices echoing through the empty all.

There was something magic in wandering around the art gallery while it was closed. Everything seemed to have gained more importance, not just the artworks, but also the emotions they were able to stir up. Y/n dragged Bucky from one piece to the other, her eyes glazed with happiness as she talked. For a while, she forgot anything bad, every trace of concern or fear was gone as she went on about what made every work there unique and irreplaceable. Every brushstroke, every snapshot held a story. When he thought of it that way, even Bucky couldn’t help but feel fascinated.

“Don’t you love it?” asked him y/n all of a sudden, in the middle of an explanation about one of her favourite paintings. There was a subtle flush on her cheeks and her eyes were so full of life and love. Nothing could ever be as beautiful as her, thought Bucky. His lips curved.

“I love how much you love it.”

Y/n’s laughter was light, like the snow falling slowly during winter. “You’re pretty sly, has anyone ever told you that?”

He grinned, always mischievous. “Mmh, yeah, but then again people always seem impressed, so I take it as a compliment.”

Her eyebrows raised. “Do I seem impressed?”

“Oh, no, not  _at all_. You keep me grounded, y/l/n.” He chuckled, and she joined him. Bucky searched for her eyes, suddenly hesitant. “So… how was this for our last date? Unless of course, you decided that my good looks should grant me another one,” he jested.

“Very amusing,” she scoffed, but her attempt at being snarky was ruined by the nervous flicker in her gaze. She hadn’t even realized she was biting her bottom lip until she felt it burn. “Can we talk? About that,  _um-_ ”

“Kiss?” he suggested, amused. When she nodded, he sighed. “Again, I’m very sorry. I promised I was gonna keep it friendly and then I screwed up. I acted on impulse. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Was that all that was?” she asked before she could stop herself. “An impulse?”

“What? No!” Bucky was mumbling, caught off-guard by her blunt question. He cleared his throat, trying to calm down. “Now I’m very confused,” he admitted.

Y/n shrugged. “I’m just asking if it was an impulsive, one-time thing or if there’s more.”

A crease appeared on Bucky’s forehead as his brows snapped together. “Would you want it to be more?”

“I  _don’t know!_ ” she snapped. She buried her face in her hands, huffing in annoyance. “Answer my question, please.”

He rolled his eyes. He had always thought that no one could be as exasperating as Steve, but clearly, his best friend had lost his crown as soon as they had met y/n.

“I won’t try and kiss you again if that’s what you wanna know.”

“What I really want to know is whether you’re going to  _want_  to kiss me again,” she said through her teeth, unsure of why the whole situation made her so mad. One minute she was perfectly happy, and now she was fuming. He didn’t understand, and she did not want to explain. Maybe that was the problem. He was forcing her to say the words she had desperately tried to keep secret.

Bucky scoffed. “What does it matter?!” he exclaimed, raising his arms in frustration.

“It matters to me!”

“ _Why?!_ ”

She started to stumble on her words. “Well, because you keep saying that you’re okay with being friends, but friends don’t kiss each other!”

“I said I was sorry,” he repeated, more calmly. He didn’t want to fight, but she sure was making it hard.

Y/n stared at him with her hands on her hips, her gaze sharp as a razor. “Why did you kiss me? I want  _the truth._ ”

“God, you’re  _so_  irritating, did you know that?!” complained Bucky, cursing under his breath.

“It’s not like you’re so pleasant yourself,” she retorted, and he lost it.

“Then  _why do you wanna be friends with me?_ ”

“ _I don’t!_ ”

They were both shouting, at this point.

[Originally posted by coporolight](https://tmblr.co/ZGdvUy2iJsin7)

“Good,  _me neither!_ ” yelled Bucky, and with one single step, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. 

Y/n was waiting for him. Her hands immediately ran to his neck, pulling him closer, feeling so drawn to him and yet so distant, like the moon could feel when searching for her star. Bucky’s chest quickly rose and fell against hers, as they moved as one. It felt so right. His velvet lips hungrily capturing hers, his fingers digging into her back as he held her, every part of them fit perfectly in each other’s arms. 

Bucky was the first to pull out, this time. Their noses were touching, and his heavy breaths tickled her skin. He caressed her face, as she leaned into his touch.

“You would be the worst friend ever,” he husked, grinning against her cheek.

“We wouldn’t last one day,” agreed y/n, moving so that she could look at him in the eye. “This seems like a good moment to tell you that I’m done with fake dates.”

Bucky nodded, comically Bucky nodded, comically solemn. “Agreed. Also, this is a perfect moment to tell you that I’m in love with you and I’m pretty sure I want to spend the rest of my life fighting with you.”

He said just like that, simply, with no hesitation, as if he was just talking about the weather and not declaring his love for her. It sounded so familiar and genuine, realized y/n. The feeling of being so loved, the promise of a life together… it made her want it to become their truth. 

Her face lit up as she smiled. “That’s a relief. It would’ve been embarrassing, otherwise. I think my mother’s already organizing our wedding.”

“She’s my biggest admirer,” laughed Bucky, and y/n smirked. 

“Maybe you should date  _her,_  instead.”

“Oh, I would, but I’m too scared of your dad.”

Y/n let out a snort, that quickly turned into a groan once a thought crossed her mind. “Wait till Steve finds out about this. I’ll never hear the end of it, I’ll have to see his stupid smug smile every day.”

“Yeah, gloating really isn’t a good colour on him,” admitted Bucky, shaking his head at the thought. “Want me to fight him?”

She let her fingers run through his hair, humming. “No, I think I want you to kiss me.”

His eyes darted, as a smirk appeared on his face.

“Will do, dollface. But only if you kiss me.”


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky Barnes supports lesbeans and so should you <3

[Originally posted by sparks-novels](https://tmblr.co/ZhTMxv2HS_9JD)

Y/n’s dress fluttered lazily around her knees, as she gazed at the clear sea waters rushing over the shore. The blue of the waves mixed with the pearly seafoam and the sunlight painted it with specs of gold. It reminded y/n of Bucky’s eyes, although she surely wasn’t going to tell him that.

“So tell me, what would the lady prefer to do today?” asked Bucky, a wide grin already spreading across his face.

He looked handsome, even more so than usual, as the first summer breeze blew through his dark hair and the morning sun warmed the white sand of the beach. He was staring down at y/n with an amused expression.

“Let me guess… swim across the ocean.” Y/n rolled her eyes, making him chuckle mischievously. “No, I got it! Save a baby turtle from certain death.”

“There are no turtles here,” she observed in a deadpan voice, but she was struggling to stop her lips from curving into a smile.

“A baby seagull, then,” shrugged Bucky, putting an arm around her to pull her close.

“You know, Buck,” observed y/n, “One day you’ll realize that I’m not  _nearly_  as extraordinary as you think.”

He shook his head, stubborn. “There’s definitely nothing ordinary about you, woman.”

Y/n smirked, lacing her fingers with his. “I think I’d be fine just relaxing with you right now, maybe we could take a stroll and watch the sunset. I’m feeling romantic.”

Bucky’s brows raised, as he barked a teasing laugh. “ **Who _are_  you?** And what have you done with my girlfriend?!”

“Very funny,” she scoffed, elbowing him. Yet she beamed at how perfectly the word ’ _girlfriend_ ’ suited her when Bucky was the one who called her that.

A sudden voice made them stop in their tracks. “Bucky! Over here!”

Y/n followed Bucky’s gaze and immediately recognized the pretty girl she had seen the night of the fair, a few months before. She was there with a friend, and much to her surprise y/n noticed that she was smiling at her as she approached.

“Ladies, good to see you,” greeted Bucky, and he squeezed y/n’s hand before adding, “Connie,  _finally_  meet y/n y/l/n.”

Before y/n could say anything more than ‘hello’ Connie threw her arms around her and closed her in a tight hug. “My goodness, hi! I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I know you already,” she laughed.

“Oh, uhm, thank you! You’re very kind.” After blinking in confusion, y/n smiled brightly at Connie, who gestured at the young woman at her side.

“This is Margaret, my…  _friend_.”

As she turned her head, y/n caught a glimpse of the subtle blush on Connie’s cheeks and saw the way she was looking at Margaret. She would’ve recognized that look anywhere. After all, she saw it every day in Bucky’s eyes.

“That’s-  _wow_ , that’s great!” exclaimed y/n, a bit more enthusiastically than she intended, “It’s so nice to meet you, Margaret.”

“You, too.”

Both Margaret and Connie erupted in amused giggles as they notice the expression on her face, and after a moment y/n joined them, shaking her head in embarrassment.

Bucky grinned, pressing a quick kiss on y/n’s temple. “If you’ll excuse us, we have to find a seagull in distress, now,” he joked, nodding at their friends. “Connie. Margaret.”

“Again, wonderful meeting you both,” added y/n, waving her hand as she followed Bucky.

“What?” laughed Bucky once they were far, as soon as he noticed y/n’s lifted eyebrow.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” she huffed, giving him a half-serious pout.

“And miss the chance to make you jealous?  _Never_ ,” he assured, smirking.

Y/n groaned. “I thought you and Connie were dating! That night at the fair…”

“She was in desperate need for a friend,” concluded Bucky, eyeing her with the expression of someone who was very much enjoying himself.

“Now I feel like an idiot,” sighed y/n dramatically, but he shook his head.

“Don’t. I could’ve handled the situation better, let’s face it.” They both laughed. Bucky glanced at y/n as he added, “It’s just, it wasn’t  _my_  secret to share.“

"Of course, I get that.” She nodded. There was silence for a while, as y/n nipped at her lower lip. “I can’t believe you were  _actually_  a decent guy all along.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” protested Bucky, gasping in mock offence.

Y/n’s head rolled back when she giggled. “I love you,” she said, hugging Bucky and holding him close enough to peck at his lips.

“Bold choice,” he teased, before deepening the kiss. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his chest, right above his heart. “I love you so much that I fear my chest is gonna explode. Do you believe me?” he whispered.

She smiled, feeling his heartbeat against the tips of her fingers. “I oddly do. After all,  _hearts don’t lie_.”


End file.
